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Three arrested on alleged dog poisoning, child endangerment, drug charges

By James Grob, New Hampton Tribune

Three people from North Iowa have been arrested for crimes that involve one dog allegedly killed with poison and subsequent threats to do the same to a child.

Police say the dog’s body was in a freezer in the accused individuals’ home in Nashua.

According to police reports and court records, officers responded to a domestic dispute in the 400 block of Wentling Street in Nashua on Wednesday, March 7.

A person told the police that the homeowner’s dog was missing under unusual circumstances, and the dog’s body was possibly being stored in a basement freezer.

The dog was allegedly poisoned by the homeowner’s son and brother, who also live at the house.

A child was taken to Allen Hospital Child Protection Center the next day, where a forensic interview was conducted, records say.

During the interview, the child stated his uncle, Anthony Hoffman, poisoned the dog and threatened to place the same poison in his milk because he should “feel the same way the canine feels.”

Police then served a warrant at the Nashua home, where they said they recovered the body of a dog which was transported to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for necropsy.

A live dog was also taken from the home after police said they found a substance believed to be rat poison in its kennel. That dog was taken to a veterinary clinic for examination and then placed in SNAP (Spay and Neuter all Pets), an animal care shelter and pet rescue operation in New Hampton.

Police also reported seizing a small amount of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, various items used to manufacture meth, several bottles of prescription medication and various poisons from the house, according to court documents.

According to the Nashua Police Department and Chickasaw County court records, the following people were charged:

• Jennifer Linn Hoffman, 34, of Nashua, charged with child endangerment. She has been released on bond and is scheduled to appear in Chickasaw County District Court March 29.

• Anthony John Hoffman, 44, of Nashua, charged with child endangerment, animal abuse, three counts of possession of a controlled substance (meth and Focalin XR), unlawful possession of a prescription drug (zolpidem) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He is being held in the Chickasaw County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court March 29. Drug manufacturing charges are pending chemistry results from a state lab, according to police.

• Christopher Allan Dann, 30, of Charles City, charged with child endangerment, animal abuse, two counts of possession of a controlled substance (meth and Focalin XR), unlawful possession of prescription drug (zolpidem) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He is being held in the Chickasaw County Jail on a $4,300 cash bond. Dann is scheduled to appear in court March 19 and has pleaded not guilty to the paraphernalia charge.

Zolpidem is the drug in the sleep aid Ambien. Focalin is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Child endangerment and animal abuse are both aggravated misdemeanors. All the drug-related charges are serious misdemeanors.

Aggravated misdemeanors are the most serious class of misdemeanors in Iowa, punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of $625 to $6,250 for each charge. A serious misdemeanor in Iowa is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of between $315 and $1,875 for each charge.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges are pending, the report said.

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